HARRISBURG — The fate of Gov. Tom Wolf's choice to head the state police remains uncertain after a Senate committee Wednesday cleared Marcus Brown's nomination for a full Senate vote without saying whether it supports or opposes him for the job.

Persistent qualms within the Republican-controlled Senate appear to have little to do with Brown's qualifications, which include a law degree earned during a nearly 26-year law enforcement career in California and Maryland, and more about what he wears to work.

Since being nominated by Wolf in January, Brown, every workday but Wednesday, has worn the state police uniform — to the consternation of the troopers union and certain current and retired troopers.

Brown's detractors — including a retired trooper who staked out his suburban Harrisburg home — argue that Brown cannot wear the uniform because he did not graduate from the State Police Academy in Hershey. Many Republicans side with the union's fashion stance.

Brown, dressed in a dark suit, replied he wears the uniform out of respect when conducting departmental duties. The confirmation hearing, he said, is a personal matter and a suit is the appropriate attire.

"I am not here representing the organization," said Brown, 50, a Cumberland County native and a Penn State University graduate. "I am here on behalf of Marcus Brown."

Your resume is impressive, Wagner said, but "I will be casting a negative vote and my main reason is focused mainly around the uniform issue."

Republicans have 30 seats in the 50-member Senate, and not all of them oppose Brown's nomination. A simple majority is required for Brown to become commissioner. Lt. Gov. Mike Stack, a Democrat like Wolf, would get to break any tie.

Sen. Pat Vance, R-Cumberland, supports Brown and introduced him to the committee. Dozens of constituents, including Brown's mother, sat in the audience.

If the Senate rejects Brown's nomination, Wolf could keep him serving as acting commissioner.

Brown deserves to be confirmed based on his knowledge of homeland security and his strong stance against domestic violence, Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams, D-Philadelphia, said Wednesday.

The uniform controversy — as well as other issues concerning pension and real estate taxes in Brown's background — are red herrings, Williams said. Brown's "good old boy" detractors are really upset over his commitment to add more minorities to the mostly white Pennsylvania State Police, which is no longer under a federal court order to diversify the department, Williams said.

"I don't know what we are talking about today other than politics," Williams said at the confirmation hearing. "You represent the best of America, the best of Pennsylvania and frankly the best of all those who wear the uniform and represent all of us."

Brown, who is white, began his law enforcement career in San Jose, Calif., before being hired by the Baltimore Police Department. In Baltimore, he rose through the ranks to lead the SWAT division, organized crime and other divisions and was a deputy commissioner. Brown also ran the Maryland Transportation Authority Police, which handles ports, airports and highway tunnels, from 2007 to 2011, and ran Maryland State Police from 2011 until this year.

In January, Wolf nominated Brown, partly because of his commitment to diversify the Maryland State Police.

The troopers union has lobbied against Brown, and some retired troopers started a Facebook campaign against Brown's decision to wear the uniform.

Law enforcement officers are trained to understand the threat continuum, which often starts with verbal altercations and can escalate to physical action, Brown said. When he saw the signs near his home, Brown said he believed someone was escalating the threat and feared for his family's safety.

"So many senators have said to me they would have reacted in the exact same way," Brown said.

Williams agreed, admitting he has removed opponents' campaign sings in the past and that he would "walk through fire" for his children.

He accused Brown of bending certain laws when it suits him. He questioned Brown about years-old Maryland media stories that questioned the size of his Baltimore pension, and whether he lived in Maryland while a state employee.

Brown responded that he bent no laws and was treated like any other city employee in terms of his pension. He said he and his wife lived in separate states to pursue careers, so he split his time between residences in Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Rafferty also questioned Brown over Wolf's decision to put a moratorium on the death penalty, preventing the possible execution of Eric Frein, charged with killing one trooper and wounding another in a sniper shooting in September.

Williams interrupted Rafferty, saying he was making a political statement that was not relevant to Brown's qualifications.

After the hearing, Brown said he was pleased his nomination was forwarded to the full Senate.

"I expect the Senate to do a fair job," he said. "As multiple senators said, it is my experience and qualifications that they are going to be judging me on, and that is what I think the citizens of this state expect."